Steps taken to get mercury out of the waste stream

In mid-November, the Boston City Council unanimously voted to ban the sale of mercury thermometers because of their danger to the environment and humans. Last June, New Hampshire passed a statewide ban, and San Francisco and Ann Arbor, Michigan have adopted similar legislation. According to estimates by the U.S. Department of Health Agency for Toxic Substances, almost 17 tons of thermometers will have been discarded in 2000. Kmart Corp., Walgreen Co., Rite-Aid Corp., CVS Corp. and Longs Drug Store Corp. are among the national chains that have committed to phasing out sales of mercury thermometers - replacing them with digital and other thermometers …